HR6133-119

4. Authorization of appropriations; reservations To carry out this Act, there are authorized to be appropriated $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 and each of the five succeeding fiscal years. From the funds appropriated under subsection (a) for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve— not less than 40 percent for grants to eligible entities under section 5; not less than 55 percent for grants to States under section 6; and not less than 5 percent for national activities under section 8.

5. Grants to eligible entities The Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities, on a competitive basis, to assist such entities in establishing or supporting an early college high school or dual or concurrent enrollment program in accordance with this section. Each grant under this section shall be awarded for a period of 6 years. The Secretary shall ensure that the amount of each grant under this section is sufficient to enable each grantee to carry out the activities described in subsection (h), except that a grant under this section may not exceed $2,000,000, of which not more than 15 percent of the overall grant total may be used to improve data systems for the purpose of facilitating the execution of the reporting requirement in section 7(a). For each year that an eligible entity receives a grant under this section, the entity shall contribute matching funds, in the amounts described in paragraph (2), for the activities supported by the grant. The amounts described in this paragraph are— for each of the first and second years of the grant period, 20 percent of the grant amount; for each of the third and fourth years of the grant period, 30 percent of the grant amount; for the fifth year of the grant period, 40 percent of the grant amount; and for the sixth year of the grant period, 50 percent of the grant amount. The Secretary shall allow an eligible entity to meet the requirements of this subsection through in-kind contributions. Not less than half of each amount described in paragraph (2) shall be provided by the eligible entity from non-Federal sources. An eligible entity shall use a grant received under this section only to supplement funds that would, in the absence of such a grant, be made available from other Federal, State, or local sources for activities supported by the grant, not to supplant such funds. In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that— propose to establish or support an early college high school or dual or concurrent enrollment program that will serve a student population of which not less than 51 percent are low-income students; include a local educational agency which serves a high school that is— identified for comprehensive support and improvement under section 1111(c)(4)(D)(i) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(c)(4)(D)(i)); or implementing a targeted support and improvement plan as described in section 1111(d)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(d)(2)); are from States that provide assistance to early college high schools or dual or concurrent enrollment programs, such as assistance to defray the costs of higher education (including costs of tuition, fees, and textbooks); and propose to establish or support an early college high school or dual or concurrent enrollment program that meets quality standards established by— a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association that offers accreditation specifically for such programs; or a State process specifically for the review and approval of such programs. The Secretary shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that eligible entities receiving grants under this section— are from a representative cross-section of— urban, suburban, and rural areas; and regions of the United States; and include both two-year and four-year institutions of higher education. An eligible entity shall use grant funds received under this section— to support the activities described in its application under subsection (i); to create and maintain a coherent system of supports for students, teachers, principals, and faculty under the program, including— college and career readiness, academic, and social support services for students; and professional development for secondary school teachers, faculty, and principals, and faculty from the institution of higher education, including— joint professional development activities; and activities to assist such teachers, faculty, and principals in using effective parent and community engagement strategies and to help ensure the success of students academically at risk of not enrolling in or completing postsecondary education, first-generation college students, and each category of students described in section 1111(b)(2)(B)(xi) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)(B)(xi)); to carry out liaison activities among the partners that comprise the eligible entity pursuant to an agreement or memorandum of understanding documenting commitments, resources, roles, and responsibilities of the partners consistent with the design of the program; for outreach programs to ensure that secondary school students and their families, including students academically at risk of not enrolling in or completing postsecondary education, first-generation college students, and each category of students described in section 1111(b)(2)(B)(xi) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)(B)(xi)), are— aware of, and recruited into, the early college high school or dual or concurrent enrollment program; and assisted with the process of enrolling and succeeding in the early college high school or dual or concurrent enrollment program, which may include providing academic support; to collect, share, and use data (in compliance with section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g)) for program improvement and program evaluation; and to review and strengthen its program to maximize the potential that students participating in the program will eventually complete a recognized postsecondary credential, including by optimizing— the curriculum of the program; the use of high-quality assessments of student learning, such as performance-based, project-based, or portfolio assessments that measure higher-order thinking skills; the sequence of courses offered by the program; and the alignment of academic calendars between the secondary schools and the institution of higher education participating in the program. In the case of an eligible entity that uses a grant under this section to establish an early college high school or dual or concurrent enrollment program, the entity shall use such funds during the first year of the grant period— to design the curriculum and sequence of courses in collaboration with, at a minimum— faculty from the institution of higher education; teachers and faculty from the local educational agency; and in the case of a career and technical education program, employers or workforce development entities to ensure that the program is aligned with labor market demand; to develop and implement an articulation agreement between the institution of higher education and the local educational agency that governs how secondary and postsecondary credits will be awarded under the program; and to carry out the activities described in subparagraph (A). An eligible entity may use grant funds received under this section to support the activities described in its application under subsection (i), including by— purchasing textbooks and equipment that support the program’s curriculum; pursuant to the assurance provided by the eligible entity under subsection (i)(3)(A), paying tuition and fees for postsecondary courses taken by students under the program; incorporating work-based learning opportunities (other than by paying wages of students) into the program (which may include partnering with entities that provide such opportunities), including— internships; career-based capstone projects; pre-apprenticeships and registered apprenticeships provided by eligible providers of apprenticeship programs described in section 122(a)(2)(B) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3152(a)(2)(B)); and work-based learning opportunities provided under chapters 1 and 2 of subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 et seq.); providing students with transportation to and from the program; paying costs for— high school teachers to obtain the skills, credentials, or industry certifications necessary to teach for the institution of higher education participating in the program; or postsecondary faculty to become certified to teach high school; or providing time during which secondary school teachers and faculty and faculty from an institution of higher education can collaborate, which may include— professional development; the planning of team activities for such teachers and faculty; and curricular design and student assessment. To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. The application under paragraph (1) shall include, at minimum, a description of— the partnership that comprises the eligible entity, including documentation of partner commitments, resources and budget, roles, and responsibilities; how the partners that comprise the eligible entity will coordinate to carry out the mandatory activities described in subsection (h)(1); the number of students intended to be served by the program and demographic information relating to such students; how the eligible entity’s curriculum and sequence of courses form a program of study leading to a recognized postsecondary credential; how postsecondary credits earned will be transferable to institutions of higher education within the State, including any applicable statewide transfer agreements and any provisions of such agreements that are specific to dual or concurrent enrollment programs; how the eligible entity will conduct outreach to students; how the eligible entity will determine the eligibility of students for postsecondary courses, including an explanation of the multiple factors the entity will take into account to assess the readiness of students for such courses; and the sustainability plan for the early college high school or dual or concurrent enrollment program. The application under paragraph (1) shall include assurances from the eligible entity that— students participating in a program funded with a grant under this section will not be required to pay tuition or fees for postsecondary courses taken under the program; postsecondary credits earned by students under the program will be transcribed upon completion of the required coursework; and instructors of postsecondary courses under the program will meet the same standards applicable to other faculty at the institution of higher education that is participating in the program.